Yes! That is one odd looking species! They 'flop' through thick areas and are difficult to see - at least the few times I've seen them. That unique beak is diagnostic, as are the pale eyes. Here are photos of the other two species of Anis, Groove-billed and Smooth-billed.

Love the idea of Heron Swaps. Before we make that trade, I'd better get busy designing a refugio and welcome wagon for the London Grey Herons! Maybe the Yellow-crowned can guide them on its return to the Americas!

I'm betting that YC Night Heron will inspire books/stories for young and old!

"The Atlantic is wider than hope." lovely!

Yes, they are beautiful elegant birds!
Most birders here 'dream' of seeing the GB Heron AND the very rare Green Heron.The latter 'dropped' out of the sky at a city park for a photo session, much to the envy of most birders in Ecuador! Friends still ask for notification if another appears!

"... a few hundred photos of beautiful herons..."

That statement made me chuckle; I also take 'a few hundred photos' when feathered eye candy beckons!

The Great Blue is a 'Rare Bird alert' species in W. Ecuador, but the lovely Cocoi provides adequate compensation!

@everyheron.bsky.social

Same to you, though recovery in Jamaica will take years. Almost ten years after our 7.8 earthquake, heart-wrenching 'remnants' remind us of how fragile life is.

Here is a link about Sunday's results: cuencahighlife.com/political-an...

What a refreshing surprise to see this notification - and for a few seconds wondered whose quote I was reading.. and then chuckled.
Will close with more Cocoi Heron eye candy! #birds, #birdsSeenIn2025
Thanks!

Reminds me of the months/years after the earthquake, but you all are facing something much more severe.
Ten years later (here) many people still suffer from the trauma, and we all reminisce: 'before earthquake vs after.' Deforestation increased for rebuilding - but Jamaica lost trees and bamboo!

thank you for that link: jamradio.uk/news/jamaica...

You posted this well written and clear link, reminding us that all life forms are suffering.
We can send battleships and drones around the planet, send rockets and astronauts into space, yet cannot find an economic way to extract water from the air - or filter sea water for all -esp in a crisis.

With each day it must get more difficult for those who lived where everything - including vegetation - has been wiped clean. How to 'resume' when even the basic needs are pending new infrastructure? It is a heavy time for all of you; I marvel that the world news headlines have shifted.

That is wonderful and surely emotional to witness; it must feel like there is hope for humanity to see those helicopters and teams.

I wish a certain president would nudge that battleship (those ships?) over to Jamaica and help with food, water, immediate aid and compassion for our fellow men (and women) it would be a much more positive use of manpower and money.

It's important to purge that grief.

👍We have three Anis here: Smooth-billed, Groove-billed, and Greater (Crotophaga major)
I've also painted the Groove-billed with colors: "...so what IF the Groove-billed Ani wore rainbow colors? Would it be nearing extinction - prized for its colorful feathers?"

Your Substack post was sensitive and informative; thanks for including the recommendations and links.

Here is the drawing I worked on - not only in the field but also late at night as I kept one eye on Melissa's path.

Finished at 4 last night/early morning. Now I'm working on the color version.

Anyone who has a sensitive heart is surely struggling there. I've thought about your yard/gardens, and the trees/flora-faunta affected islands wide.
After Ecuador's 7.8 earthquake, artists contributed to an art auction - all works a specific (small) size. Perhaps that can be a future project?

So good to see your posts and hope that your home and neighborhood did not receive too much damage. This has to be hard on all of you, especially as new reports/videos show more areas destroyed. It reminds me of the first news video I saw of Katrina; I couldn't stop weeping.
Thinking of you 24/7.

Not easy to select 'like/heart' for this post, but the heart shows support for all of you there in Jamaica. Am keeping a close eye - day and night - and holding you all in my heart.